Southern Nazarene University offers a wide variety of degrees for many areas of giftedness, and one such department is the Music Department here at SNU. Not only does this department encompass students working towards a career in music, but also includes performing arts. I met with a few people who are majoring in or have been involved with this department in order to get a better inside look at the hard work and dedication inherent to this major.
Faith Blose is a Mass Communications major, yet she still loves to be involved with the productions put on by the Music Department. “I have been in Mary Poppins and Into the Woods at SNU. I have also been in various local productions such as the Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, and Coppélia,” says Blose.
Blose has a variety of reasons that she enjoys getting the opportunity to participate in what SNU’s Music Department is doing. “I love expressing myself in musicals because it allows me to play with different elements. Bringing a character to life through this outlet of storytelling is so satisfying. The rush of being on stage is like no other. It’s a fun process that allows me to try different things and see what bits work with the audience and what doesn’t. It’s also exciting to be surrounded by people who care about the same project that you do. It makes all the hard work worth it!” says Blose.
In another area of this department is Allie Ward, a Vocal Performance major at SNU.
“I haven’t decided what I want to be, but I’ve thought about vocal coaching!” says Ward.
Ward, like Blose, has also been a part of the musicals at SNU. “I’ve been in Into the Woods, Time Warp, and Disney Dream. I’ve also performed in opera scenes.” Ward also participates in concert choir and chorale. “The main concerts we perform are Festival of Hymns, Sounds of Christmas, and then our Spring Concert” says Ward.
Yet another Vocal Performance major I had the pleasure of speaking with is Nick Gonzalez. Gonzalez loves singing, and hopes to make a career of this passion. “[I] want to be a pop singer and performer,” he says.
Gonzalez was able to walk me through some of the classes one would take while pursuing this degree. “I take chorale, voice class, music theory, and private vocal lessons,” says Gonzalez. These classes are not only useful in developing vocal skill, but in understanding the theory behind what makes music enjoyable and how to build upon existing talent.
Our Music Department is one of a kind, and is constantly producing new and exciting things for the SNU community. Keep your eyes out for events you can attend to see some of our talented students!
Photo by Daniel Lazar on Unsplash